Local man killed on ship 100 years ago remembered

A NEW ROSS man who was killed after the ship he was on was sunk by a German mine 100 years ago last Friday, was remembered at a ceremony held in County Wicklow on Sunday.

Patrick Merrigan was one of several men killed in the attack on the SV Lapwing on voyage from Waterford to Cardiff which went down off the County Wexford coast after being sunk by a German submarine.

It was recorded that Patrick was one of five hands on board the Lapwing got into a lifeboat but were never seen again.

Three members were of the Kearon family from County Wicklow.

Now Stephen Kearon of Ballinaclash has traced relatives to invite them to attend Woodenbridge Memorial on Saturday, but was unable to make contact with any relation of Patrick.

Joseph Kearon was the 65 year old Master of SV Lapwing. He was a Mercantile Marine and was the son of the late Edward and Catherine Kearon, of Meadows Lane, Arklow. He was the husband of Frances Kearon, of Kylemore, Arklow.

Also on board were his sons 19-year-old Mate Edward Kearon ad 17-year-old Ordinary Seaman George Kearon.

It is thought that the SV Lapwing was sunk by gunfire from the German submarine U-95, and Stephen has been carrying out his own research.

‘Interestingly there are also reports of them being killed the following day off the east coast of England, when the SS Lapwing hit a mine left by another German sub, but I suspect the confusion came from the two vessels being the same name.’

Also lost at sea were Patrick, a 23-year-old from New Ross, Wexford, and 18 year old George Tyrell of Halls Lane, Arklow.

Stephen said: ‘ the U-95 carried out five patrols, starting May 24 1917 until January 16 1918 when it was sunk off Hardelot, France with the loss of all 43 hands. It sunk 14 ships and damaged three during these patrols. It’s Captain was Athalwin Prinz.

The wreck was identified in the 1990s and it is lying in 40m of water mainly intact. Its hatches are closed, and periscopes retracted so it appears to have sunk when submerged. There is huge damage around where the torpedo room was, so the divers concluded one of its torpedoes must have malfunctioned and sunk the sub.